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List of Sierra Nevada road passes facts for kids

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This is a table of principal paved highway passes on or near the crest of the Sierra Nevada, United States. The road passes are generally listed from north to south, with their elevation and access road.

The California Department of Transportation attempts to keep Donner Summit (Interstate 80, I-80), Echo Summit (U.S. Route 50, US 50) and Carson Pass (State Route 88, SR 88) open year-round. Most other passes at higher elevation than these are usually closed during winter, with opening and closure dates varying based on snowfall and available road clearing and repair resources.

Name Elevation (ft) Elevation (m) Coordinates Access Road Notes
Fredonyer Pass 5,748 1,752 40°21′35″N 120°52′03″W / 40.35972°N 120.86750°W / 40.35972; -120.86750 (Fredonyer Pass) SR 36 part of the approximate boundary between the Sierra and the Cascade Range
Beckwourth Pass 5,212 1,589 39°47′30″N 120°6′28″W / 39.79167°N 120.10778°W / 39.79167; -120.10778 (Beckwourth Pass) SR 70
Feather River Route
on the Diamond Mountains spur range
Yuba Pass 6,709 2,045 39°37′03″N 120°29′20″W / 39.61750°N 120.48889°W / 39.61750; -120.48889 (Yuba Pass) SR 49 on the Feather River-Yuba River divide, not the Sierra Crest
Little Truckee Summit 6,400 1,951 39°30′18″N 120°16′55″W / 39.50500°N 120.28194°W / 39.50500; -120.28194 (Little Truckee Summit) SR 89
Donner Summit (Euer Saddle) 7,239 2,206 39°20′24″N 120°20′38″W / 39.34000°N 120.34389°W / 39.34000; -120.34389 (Donner Summit) I-80 westbound
7,227 2,203 I-80 eastbound
Donner Pass 7,088 2,160 39°18′52″N 120°19′37″W / 39.31444°N 120.32694°W / 39.31444; -120.32694 (Donner Pass) Donner Pass Road
Overland Route via tunnel
Donner Pass Road is the old route of the northern route of the Lincoln Highway and US 40
Brockway Summit 7,199 2,194 39°15′40″N 120°04′17″W / 39.26102°N 120.07130°W / 39.26102; -120.07130 (Brockway Summit) SR 267 on Truckee River divide, not sierra crest
Mount Rose Summit 8,946 2,727 39°18′48″N 119°53′50″W / 39.31333°N 119.89722°W / 39.31333; -119.89722 (Mount Rose Summit) SR 431 on Carson Range spur
highest year round Sierra Nevada highway pass
Spooner Summit 7,158 2,182 39°06′15″N 119°53′50″W / 39.104233°N 119.897158°W / 39.104233; -119.897158 (Spooner Summit) US 50 on Carson Range spur
Daggett Pass 7,339 2,237 38°58′36″N 119°53′20″W / 38.97657°N 119.88879°W / 38.97657; -119.88879 (Daggett Pass) SR 207 on Carson Range spur
Echo Summit 7,377 2,249 38°48′47″N 120°01′48″W / 38.813°N 120.030°W / 38.813; -120.030 (Echo Summit) US 50 formerly the southern route of the Lincoln Highway
Luther Pass 7,735 2,358 38°47′13″N 119°56′45″W / 38.78694°N 119.94583°W / 38.78694; -119.94583 (Luther Pass) SR 89 on the Carson-Tahoe divide, not the Sierra Crest
Carson Pass 8,573 2,613 38°41′38″N 119°59′15″W / 38.69389°N 119.98750°W / 38.69389; -119.98750 (Carson Pass) SR 88
Pacific Crest Trail
Monitor Pass 8,321 2,536 38°40′32″N 119°37′10″W / 38.67556°N 119.61944°W / 38.67556; -119.61944 (Monitor Pass) SR 89 in the Carson River watershed, not on the Sierra Crest
closed in winter
Ebbetts Pass 8,732 2,662 38°32′40″N 119°48′43″W / 38.5443529°N 119.8118455°W / 38.5443529; -119.8118455 (Ebbetts Pass) SR 4
Pacific Crest Trail
closed in winter
Sonora Pass 9,624 2,933 38°19′40″N 119°38′9″W / 38.32778°N 119.63583°W / 38.32778; -119.63583 (Sonora Pass) SR 108
Pacific Crest Trail
closed in winter
Tioga Pass 9,943 3,031 37°54′40″N 119°15′29″W / 37.91111°N 119.25806°W / 37.91111; -119.25806 (Tioga Pass) SR 120 closed in winter
Minaret Summit 9,175 2,797 37°39′23″N 119°03′37″W / 37.65639°N 119.06028°W / 37.65639; -119.06028 (Minaret Summit) SR 203 not a trans-Sierra route, road dead-ends west of summit
closed in winter
No roads cross the Sierra Crest for 137 miles (220 km) between Minaret Summit and Ninemile Canyon.
Sherman Pass 9,140 2,786 35°59′26″N 118°21′57″W / 35.99056°N 118.36583°W / 35.99056; -118.36583 (Sherman Pass) Sherman Pass Road (Forest Route 22S05) on the Kern River-South Fork Kern River divide, not the Sierra Crest
closed in winter
unnamed pass 6,260 1,908 35°51′41″N 118°00′26″W / 35.86136°N 118.00719°W / 35.86136; -118.00719 (Unnamed pass) CR J41
Ninemile Canyon Road/Kennedy Meadow Road
Walker Pass 5,246 1,599 35°39′47″N 118°01′37″W / 35.66306°N 118.02694°W / 35.66306; -118.02694 (Walker Pass) SR 178
Pacific Crest Trail
Tehachapi Summit 4,064 1,239 35°06′08″N 118°16′58″W / 35.10222°N 118.28278°W / 35.10222; -118.28278 (Tehachapi Summit) SR 58
Southern Pacific Railroad
traditionally marks the south end of the Sierra and the northeast end of the Tehachapis, even though it is primarily associated with the latter
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List of Sierra Nevada road passes Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.